NEWS RELEASE

The National Center for State Courts
300 Newport Avenue · Williamsburg, Virginia  23185

Contact:
Lorri Montgomery
Communications Manager
The National Center for State Courts
757.259.1525 or lmontgomery@ncsc.dni.us 

CJ VandeWalle Receives
 National Court Reform Organization Award

Williamsburg, VA (June 18, 2003) – Chief Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court Gerald W. VandeWalle has been named recipient of the 2003 Paul C. Reardon Award, one of the highest awards presented by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). The Reardon Award, named after the late Massachusetts Supreme Court justice who was the first president of The National Center’s Board of Directors, is presented annually to a person who has made outstanding contributions to the improvement of the justice system and who has supported the mission of the National Center.

Chief Justice VandeWalle will receive the award June 26 during a meeting of the North Dakota Bar Association. “As a leader in the legal profession, Chief Justice VandeWalle cares deeply about the importance of the work of America’s courts and the mission of The National Center as the preeminent national court reform organization,” said Roger K. Warren, president of the National Center.

Chief Justice VandeWalle has a proven record of dedication to the justice system. In 1958, shortly after graduation from law school, he was named North Dakota’s special assistant attorney general. In 1975, he was selected first assistant attorney general, and three years later, the governor appointed Chief Justice VandeWalle to a vacancy on the state’s Supreme Court bench.

Since then, Chief Justice VandeWalle has worked tirelessly to improve the justice system both in his state and nationally. He is a past president of the Conference of Chief Justices, a past chair of the National Center for State Courts Board of Directors, and former chair of the National Center’s Research Advisory Council. In 1997, Chief Justice of the United States William H. Rehnquist appointed Chief Justice VandeWalle to the Federal/State Jurisdiction Committee of the Judicial Conference on the United States, on which he still serves.

The National Center for State Courts is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. The National Center, founded in 1971 with the encouragement of Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, provides leadership, research, technology, education, and training to the state courts. The National Center also is taking the lead on several key issues facing the justice system. For example, it has established the Civil Justice Reform Initiative, which is a multi-year project that will examine the most efficient practices in civil case management and how complex litigation procedures can be improved through the use of technology. Other national initiatives being driven by the National Center include improving public trust and confidence in the courts, pro se litigation, and the judicial selection process.

  ###